Christmas Concerto

{{Short description|1690 composition by Arcangelo Corelli}}

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File:arcangelo corelli.jpg

Concerto grosso in G minor, Op. 6, No. 8, by Arcangelo Corelli, known commonly as the Christmas Concerto, was commissioned by Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni and published posthumously in 1714 as part of Corelli's Twelve concerti grossi, Op. 6. The concerto bears the inscription {{Lang|it|Fatto per la notte di Natale}} ("made for the night of Christmas"). Its composition date is uncertain, but there is a record of Corelli having performed a Christmas concerto in 1690 for the enjoyment of his new patron.{{cite journal|last=Marx|first=Hans Joachim|author-link=Hans Joachim Marx|title=Die Musik am Hofe Pietro Kardinal Ottobonis unter Arcangelo Corelli|language=de|journal=Analecta musicologica|volume=5|series=Studien zur italienisch-deutschen Musikgeschichte|editor=Friedrich Lippmann|editor-link=Friedrich Lippmann (musicologist)|location=Cologne, Graz|publisher=Böhlau Verlag|year=1968|pages=110–111 (104–177)}}

The concerto is scored for an ensemble consisting of two concertino violins and cello, ripieno strings and continuo. The work is structured as a concerto da chiesa, in this case expanded from a typical four movement structure to six:

{{listen|type=music

| filename = Corelli - Concerto Grosso in G minor - Christmas Concerto - part 1.ogg

| title = Movements I and II

| description =

| filename2 = Corelli - Concerto Grosso in G minor - Christmas Concerto - part 2.ogg

| title2 = Movements IV to VI

| description2 = All performed by the Advent Chamber Orchestra

}}

{{Ordered list|type=upper-roman

|Vivace, {{music|time|3|4}} – Grave. Arcate, sostenuto e come stà, {{music|time|4|2}}

|Allegro, {{music|common-time}}

|Adagio – Allegro – Adagio, {{music|common-time}}, E-flat major

|Vivace, {{music|time|3|4}}

|Allegro, {{music|cut-time}}

|Largo. Pastorale ad libitum, {{music|time|12|8}}, G major

}}

Each relatively short movement provides multiple tempi and a range of major and minor suspensions. The concerto is generally no longer than fifteen minutes, ending with Corelli's famous Pastorale ad libitum, a peaceful {{music|time|12|8}} finale in the pastorale form.